The 2012 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) tournament was touted as a worthy local partner to the hugely popular Indian Premier League (IPL). It featured some big names from the world of international cricket and also allowed Pakistani players, many of whom were unable to play in the IPL, to display their talent in return for, what they hoped would have been, some lucrative financial returns.

The T20 tournament was held between February 9th and 29th with the Dhaka Gladiators being declared winners by virtue of a 8 wicket victory over the Barisal Burners.

Whilst the initial version of the tournament may have ended on a high note for the organizers, the thorny issue of delayed payments for participants continues to rankle many who are involved with the game.

Tim May is the CEO of the The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA). As the head of an organization which protects the interests of professional cricketers throughout the world, he is understandably concerned by the issue of delayed payments to cricketers involved in the BPL.

In exclusive comments made to PakPassion.net, Tim vociferously criticizes the BPL administration for their non-compliance with terms and conditions of player contracts and also discusses some of the options open to FICA for pursuing this cause.

On Advice given by FICA to players before commencement of BPL

“We originally advised players not to sign the first draft of contracts that were being offered as the contracts were very basic and needed a lot of work to bring them up to an acceptable level. Through an intermediary we were able to negotiate the final player contracts with the BPL and the end contract were agreeable to us.

As part of the contract we staggered payment obligations of the franchises across 3 dates, one before the tournament commenced, one during and one following the event. We also ensured that the Bangladesh Cricket Board guaranteed the player payments (this was written into the player contract).

We advised players that despite us coming to agreement with the BPL regarding the terms and conditions of the contract – that we had some concerns regarding the tournament and advised that players should not travel to Bangladesh without receiving the first 25% installment of their salary”

Opinion on the whole issue of delays and non-payments of dues to players

“Our take is that there is an obligation on the franchises and BCB to pay the players and that those obligations have well and truly expired."

"Whilst slowly but surely some of the players are being progressively paid, we don’t really care for excuses as there is an obligation to pay and they must honor these obligations.”

Obligations on BPL organizers and their refusal to respond to FICA enquiries

"The final payment of the player’s contract was to have been paid within 45 days of the completion of the event. These monies were to be paid by the franchises (the BCB is a guarantor of these amounts). The 45 days has now elapsed.”

“Following the finalization of the player contract, the BCB stated that they did not recognize FICA and will not deal with us – nonetheless we will continue our efforts to recover the players money and will not rest until all players, foreign and local have been paid."

Damage to the image of Cricket in general and in particular to Bangladesh

“Put simply, players deserve better. I think it is particularly embarrassing to the Bangladesh Cricket Board – after all they have made a commitment to guarantee payment within the 45 day period and it appears that they have no intention of honoring this at the moment."

"You expect more from the governors of our sport.”

ICCs role in supervision and oversight of such high profile tournaments.

“I actually do feel that they should get more involved – particularly from an anti corruption and anti doping perspective. Some countries simply don’t have the resources to provide all the necessary testing, policing and education related to the above, and as we have seen, any infractions of the respective codes have a large impact on the reputation and worth of the game worldwide.”

Possible course of action to address this issue, including the legal route

“Legal action will be the last course of action – we hope that we are able to convince the franchises and BCB to honor their obligations to players in as short a time as possible."

"Non payment of players will be a sure way to ensure that players wont play in the event next year!”

Bangladesh Premier League franchise owners have set a deadline of May 9 and May 31 for the clearance of payments for international and local cricketers respectively. The dates were decided in a meeting initiated by the Bangladesh Cricket Board between BCB president Mustafa Kamal and the franchise owners on Monday after the issue of delay in payments was raised in newspapers in Bangladesh, Pakistan and the UK.

Even before the BPL started, the franchises had said that due to bank transfers being the payment mode, they would need the permission of the concerned authorities in the government. The breakdown of the payments - amount paid in advance and the amount paid after the tournament - was never made public.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who also led Duronto Rajshahi in the BPL, was the first and only cricketer to raise the flag that payments to the local and overseas players haven't been made properly. Julien Fountain, Pakistan and Dhaka Gladiators fielding coach, had tweeted about the payment issue as well. ESPNcricinfo found out that several local players were unhappy with payment issues but declined to comment or be quoted when contacted.

The transfer of foreign currency from Bangladesh to other countries is considerably difficult as the Bangladesh Bank sets a limit. Franchises have often cited this as a problem to make payments to players' bank accounts, especially because the tournament was set-up and staged within a few weeks. Several of these issues were apparently not addressed ahead of the February 10 opening game.

Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has said that the April 30 deadline for the BPL franchises to pay taxes will not be extended. Kanon Kumar Roy, director general of Directorate of Inspection (Taxes), Dhaka told The Daily Star yesterday, "We will take drastic action to realise taxes. We will set our next course of action in a meeting which will take place within this week. Many of them requested us to extend the date for paying the dues, but we are not considering their appeals."

According to NBR officials, the tax authorities received one crore (10 million) taka from the BPL parties - which includes six franchises, event management firm Game On Sports, players' salaries and the BPL governing council - while a tax payment of 20 crore (200 million) taka was projected. NBR had formed a team headed by Roy to monitor all financial transactions in a bid to ensure that all taxes are going to the state coffers.

"Last week the chief executive of the Federation of International Players' Associations (FICA) expressed his dismay at the failure of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, despite several requests, to pay those who made their spanking new premier league possible. "

"We seem to be reaching crisis point in terms of relations between cricketers and boards, what with the continuing power struggle in the Caribbean and players not being paid in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Or am I exaggerating?"

Bangladesh Premier League franchise owners have set a deadline of May 9 and May 31 for the clearance of payments for international and local cricketers respectively. The dates were decided in a meeting initiated by the Bangladesh Cricket Board between BCB president Mustafa Kamal and the franchise owners on Monday after the issue of delay in payments was raised in newspapers in Bangladesh, Pakistan and the UK.

Even before the BPL started, the franchises had said that due to bank transfers being the payment mode, they would need the permission of the concerned authorities in the government. The breakdown of the payments - amount paid in advance and the amount paid after the tournament - was never made public.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who also led Duronto Rajshahi in the BPL, was the first and only cricketer to raise the flag that payments to the local and overseas players haven't been made properly. Julien Fountain, Pakistan and Dhaka Gladiators fielding coach, had tweeted about the payment issue as well. ESPNcricinfo found out that several local players were unhappy with payment issues but declined to comment or be quoted when contacted.

The transfer of foreign currency from Bangladesh to other countries is considerably difficult as the Bangladesh Bank sets a limit. Franchises have often cited this as a problem to make payments to players' bank accounts, especially because the tournament was set-up and staged within a few weeks. Several of these issues were apparently not addressed ahead of the February 10 opening game.

Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has said that the April 30 deadline for the BPL franchises to pay taxes will not be extended. Kanon Kumar Roy, director general of Directorate of Inspection (Taxes), Dhaka told The Daily Star yesterday, "We will take drastic action to realise taxes. We will set our next course of action in a meeting which will take place within this week. Many of them requested us to extend the date for paying the dues, but we are not considering their appeals."

According to NBR officials, the tax authorities received one crore (10 million) taka from the BPL parties - which includes six franchises, event management firm Game On Sports, players' salaries and the BPL governing council - while a tax payment of 20 crore (200 million) taka was projected. NBR had formed a team headed by Roy to monitor all financial transactions in a bid to ensure that all taxes are going to the state coffers.

You guys should sue Kamal for this delay... jk
Watching cricket is what outside part of this entertainment show, and we are part of it as fans. But paying the performers is what happens behind the curtain in professional arrangement in secret. As long as no player or their agent claim it thru leagal ground yet, I'll assume even they ain't fully paid, but got enough to shut up for the moment. C'mon unlike ICL/PCL, BPL is a professional event guaranteed by BCB, a govt body we are talking about here! Today/tomorrow everyone's due will be paid. Pak professionals knows it very well as they been playing here in BD for long, experienced with Bangladeshi way of burgain & fractions in payments is part of business here. Contracts are more shown as formality; peer relation & trust is what real base here.

Even if FICA head, Tim May has some interest on this issue, but Saj illegaly publishing Tim's threat mail to BCB head in PakPassion is nothing but intensional personal droll to spoil BD image.I'm really ashamed for BCB's breaching contracts here as they ignor Our image in abroad and let this mishap, but also I'm in a stance for forgiving BPL's gov body to successfully arrange such IPL-like show in such short notice, allthough leaving number of questions for ill-organised league.

Dear Pak bros MARK it, BPL2 will happen, even Pak players get paid or not. So keep trolling as long as you got the drums & sticks. I'm not someone who would ever want to have a bro in law like Afridi anyway.

You guys should sue Kamal for this delay... jk
Watching cricket is what outside part of this entertainment show, and we are part of it as fans. But paying the performers is what happens behind the curtain in professional arrangement in secret. As long as no player or their agent claim it thru leagal ground yet, I'll assume even they ain't fully paid, but got enough to shut up for the moment. C'mon unlike ICL/PCL, BPL is a professional event guaranteed by BCB, a govt body we are talking about here! Today/tomorrow everyone's due will be paid. Pak professionals knows it very well as they been playing here in BD for long, experienced with Bangladeshi way of burgain & fractions in payments is part of business here. Contracts are more shown as formality; peer relation & trust is what real base here.

Even if FICA head, Tim May has some interest on this issue, but Saj illegaly publishing Tim's threat mail to BCB head in PakPassion is nothing but intensional personal droll to spoil BD image.I'm really ashamed for BCB's breaching contracts here as they ignor Our image in abroad and let this mishap, but also I'm in a stance for forgiving BPL's gov body to successfully arrange such IPL-like show in such short notice, allthough leaving number of questions for ill-organised league.

Dear Pak bros MARK it, BPL2 will happen, even Pak players get paid or not. So keep trolling as long as you got the drums & sticks. I'm not someone who would ever want to have a bro in law like Afridi anyway.

this isnt some fish market dealing we talking about with bargaining. this is proffessional cricketers wanting whats owed to them and written in their contracts. you do realize what a contract is dont you?. how the hell do you expect players to take bcbs word on anything related to bpl2 with the circus they got going on regarding payments. dont you worry Pak players are getting into IPL next time around. good riddance i guess on both sides.

P.S..lol keep comparing your players with afridi...when you produce a waqar,wasim,imran,miandad,fazal mahmood, zaheer abbas, saeed anwar, inzamam etc or even a player with 10% of their caliber then come back at pakistan. and i am not on pakpassion.

And what is your point corneredtiger? I see you coming here and just bashing everything that has to BD cricket and BCB. Pak has long and rich cricket history while BD is slowly starting to make a mark. All your posts has been highly critical everything related to BD cricket. While Pakistan has produced Wasim, Imran Khan, Miandad..they have also produced Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir. But there is no need for me to go to PakPassion and bash everything related to Pak cricket and PCB.

You are welcome to criticize but please don't make it your only agenda.

Whatever happened regarding the tour should solely rests on Kamal. He was the only one that proposed and gave words to Zaka. So don't say that after going to Asia cup Final, BD started to think about highly of themselves and etc. We would love to go there but not now as this is not a safe situation. Don't judge the action of one Kamal and form an opinion about an entire team and millions of fans. But I strongly believe that after the tour was cancelled, Pak media went on a rampage to find everything negative about BD.

Originally Posted by mufi_02
And what is your point corneredtiger? I see you coming here and just bashing everything that has to BD cricket and BCB. Pak has long and rich cricket history while BD is slowly starting to make a mark. All your posts has been highly critical everything related to BD cricket. While Pakistan has produced Wasim, Imran Khan, Miandad..they have also produced Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir. But there is no need for me to go to PakPassion and bash everything related to Pak cricket and PCB.

You are welcome to criticize but please don't make it your only agenda.

Whatever happened regarding the tour should solely rests on Kamal. He was the only one that proposed and gave words to Zaka. So don't say that after going to Asia cup Final, BD started to think about highly of themselves and etc. We would love to go there but not now as this is not a safe situation. Don't judge the action of one Kamal and form an opinion about an entire team and millions fans. But I strongly that after the tour was cancelled, Pak media went on a rampage to find everything negative about BD. Once again, Kamal was wrong and we all agree on that. But no need to go overboard and go all nuts.

i have studied with bangladeshis in my school days. i never experienced this type of anti pakistan rhetoric as is on this website at least not to my face with them infact most of them were and are my best buds. living is pakistan and you people have absolutely no idea about the security situation. here was me and 60,000 other lahoris getting ready to finally welcome an international side back home and that was turned into a circus humiliating the nation. it does leave a bitter taste in the mouth. i have been following your forum for over 2 years now. just made an account to try and clear alot of misconceptions about the current situation in pakistan but apparently most bangalis were so p*ssed off at losing the final...that shouldnot be a criteria in choosing whether to visit a nation or not. infact if you probably ask your players they wouldnt have a problem with playing in pakistan. oh well you people are so hell bent on antipakistanism i see your point. it was a mistake to make post here. im off. been a pleasure. sorry for trolling but their isnt anything i posted which was false

maybe that's why we are not paying the Pak players, coz we lost the final

But Kamal seriously should take some blame. It was not professional to propose a tour without knowing everything.

it wasnt professional to agree to tour and then back out and then agree and then back out and then agree and then get a court order. remeber the windies game in the worldcup vs bd, what happened afterwords with the bus well that would lend credibility to that theory

Why can't we just MOVE ON? Seriously dude, where did you get your information from? We have said several times here in BC that we have nothing against Pakistani people and we would be happy if cricket gets back there. But not now when security is An issue.. Lotus wanted that tour just to benefit himself.

I could not stop laughing when I read that we don't want to go to Pakistan because of Asia cup Final..

__________________
The mind is like a parachute, it only works when open.....Thomas Dewey

Originally Posted by mufi_02
I just have one questions for you corneredtiger.

Do you really think its safe for an intl team to tour Pakistan? Forget all the Kamal/BCB fiasco, but as a lahore resident, do you think its safe?

look it was safe in 09 as well. the only reason why the srilankan bus was attacked was that the elite police supposed to be for their security was deployed by the governor of punjab for his own defence due to political struggles with the chief minister.
and yes it is safe. there are attacks in the tribal areas and in khyber pakhtunkhwa but even i would suggest that you go ahead and check out the number of suicide attacks or other terrorist attacks in punjab over the last year and a half. there have been none. in addition to this the security to be provided this time around was supposed to be 100 times more. and if this time god forbid anything happened this government wouldnt survive and they knew that. but i guess better u didnot visit. it should be sri lanka first